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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25586305">The Phoenix in the Fairy Tale</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/slightly_ajar/pseuds/slightly_ajar'>slightly_ajar</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>MacGyver (TV 2016)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fairy Tales, Found Family, Friendship, Huddling For Warmth, Hurt/Comfort, Team as Family, here be dragons</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 04:28:00</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,214</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25586305</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/slightly_ajar/pseuds/slightly_ajar</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The clear sky held a full moon.  The night was still and cold. Snow was falling, large flakes floated down like drifts of tree blossom to land silently and cover the ground in crisp, clean whiteness. </p><p>It would have been a beautiful evening if Mac hadn’t been bleeding heavily. </p><p> </p><p>The team hide out after a mission goes wrong.  They find a way to distract themselves until exfil arrives.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>36</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Phoenix in the Fairy Tale</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I'm putting on a pretend party hat and waving an imaginary flag because this is the 50th story I've posted on AO3.</p><p>*throws glitter*</p><p>I looked the other day and I've also just passed my 7 year anniversary of being on AO3 - the years keep coming and they just keep coming, don't they?</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The clear sky held a full moon.  The night was still and cold. Snow was falling, large flakes floated down like drifts of tree blossom to land silently and cover the ground in crisp, clean whiteness. </p><p>It would have been a beautiful evening if Mac hadn’t been bleeding heavily. </p><p> “Over there, quick!” Russ pointed to the small building just visible through the gloom. One of Mac’s arms was thrown over Russ’s shoulders with the other over Bozer’s. Mac was doing his best to walk between them but he was really just being carried between his two friends. </p><p> “We’ll get you patched up in there.” Bozer grunted a little as he took more of Mac’s weight. “Just a little further.” </p><p>Desi ran ahead, pulled the door to the greenhouse open and cautiously stepped inside, reappearing a moment later, “It’s clear,” she called and waved the rest of the team inside. </p><p>The op had been going well until it suddenly hadn’t.  The team had completed their mission.  They’d exited the compound.   They’d been almost clear.  Then there were angry men and sharp steel and Mac had cried out in pain and alarm.  </p><p> “We’re nearly there, just a little further.” Russ was proud of how steady Bozer sounded. He knew how scared he must be for his best friend but he was pushing his panic away to stay grounded. </p><p>Mac mumbled a reply that fell silently into the cold air with a misted cloud of breath. </p><p> “I’ll see if I can find a first aid kit.” Riley ran ahead to the squat glass building.  </p><p> “Gardeners are organised people,” Russ said as he and Bozer eased Mac through the door of the greenhouse, “I’m sure we’ll find everything we need to get you as fit as a fiddle in no time.” </p><p>After their attackers had been dispatched the team ran until they found themselves in the garden of the sprawling estate near the compound they’d just breached.  The garden was well maintained and Russ had hoped to find some kind of gardener’s outhouse to hole up in and wait for emergency medical exfil.  The team stepped inside the greenhouse and found themselves surrounded by shelves full of plants with large leaves casting curved shadows on the floor and a smell of warm, damp earth. </p><p> “This is good.” Russ nodded. “We can wait for exfil here. C’mon,” he said to Mac, “let’s get you comfortable.” </p><p>Mac gasped as Russ and Bozer eased him down to sit on the floor. </p><p> “Here.” Riley knelt beside Mac with a first aid box in her hands. “You’re right,” she said to Russ as she snapped open it’s lid, “Gardeners are prepared. The only piece of emergency kit missing from in here is a flare.” She grabbed a handful of bandages as Russ pulled off his belt. </p><p> “Okay, Angus,” Russ said as Desi wrapped the bandages around Mac’s leg, “this isn’t going to be pretty but it will stop that bleeding until we get you safe.” </p><p> “I know,” Mac hissed through gritted teeth, “just do it.” </p><p>Russ focused on the job in hand.  He stared down at the dressings covering the gash in Mac’s leg and looped his belt around the wound, ignoring the pain in his friends face and the anxious looks of the rest of the team. Picking up the other’s anxiety wouldn’t help Mac. It wouldn’t help any of them. Stay frosty - get everyone home, that was his goal. </p><p> “Tell me about that experiment you’re working on in the lab,” Russ said to Mac. “What is it, a Carbon Ultra Processor?” </p><p> “What?” Mac’s eyes flickered as he tried to focus on Russ. </p><p> “That thing you’ve been building in the lab with the pipes and the blinky blinky lights – what is it? I should know since I’m paying for it.” </p><p> “Oh, it’s not carbon ultra, it’s carbon neutral, I’ve...” </p><p>Russ pulled hard on his belt. Mac arched and gasped as the leather binding pressed down on his wound. </p><p> “Sorry,” Russ patted Mac’s arm, “I thought it was best to distract you.” </p><p> “S’okay,” Mac said as he sagged against the wall behind him. “I mean I hate you right now but I get it.” </p><p>Russ chuckled, “You can thank me later.” </p><p>Mac gave a weak snort. “I might not.” </p><p>Bozer looked out of the glass walls of the greenhouse and into the garden beyond at the falling snowflakes. “Will the snow make it hard for exfil to find us?” </p><p> “I’ve told them our coordinates,” Riley said, “we should be okay.” </p><p> “If anything the weather will help us,” Desi looked up to the wet flakes landing on the roof then sliding slowly down, “the snow will cover up any tracks we’ve left behind. It will make us harder to follow.” </p><p> “It’s cold though,” Bozer grumbled, wrapping his arms around himself, “I know that’s an obvious thing to say but it’s true.” </p><p>Since they had stopped running the chill of the evening had started creeping up on the team.  They shivered as the cold nipped at them and brushed icy fingers down their spines. </p><p> “Riles,” Mac asked, rolling his head to look at her with a grunt of effort, “are there any emergency blankets in that first aid kit?” </p><p>Riley rummaged through the box, “Yeah, there are three.” </p><p> “Are you going to make something with them?” Bozer asked, “Like a fertiliser powered heater or something that will warm us all up by reflecting the moonlight?” </p><p> “No,” Mac shook his head, “I thought we could wrap ourselves up in them, because they’re, you know, blankets.” </p><p> “Oh.” Bozer looked disappointed. </p><p>The team shuffled closer together, Bozer folded himself up on Mac’s right side, all the better to support his friend, and Riley curled up in front of Bozer, resting against his chest.  </p><p>Russ looked over at Desi as she snuggled into Mac’s left side and raised a questioning eyebrow at her. Desi tipped her head to the side and rolled her eyes heavenward, beckoning Russ forward.</p><p> “So,” Bozer said as Russ settled in front of Desi, “how are we going to pass the time until exfil gets to us?  We played twenty questions on the flight here and this isn’t the ideal situation for Truth or Dare.” </p><p> “I know a couple of dirty limericks if anyone wants to hear them,” Desi offered. “There was a young girl from Nantucket...” </p><p> “I think perhaps not!” Russ said, opening the silver blankets and spreading them out over the team. “When I was a lad my Granny and I used to pass the time together by wrapping ourselves up in blankets and I’d sit on her knee and she’d tell me fairy stories.  It was funny how many princes in those stories were called Russell.” </p><p> “Prince Russell?” Riley said. </p><p> “Honey,” Russ drawled, “you should see me in a crown.” </p><p> “Maybe later.” Riley pulled the blanket covering her further up her shoulders. “Do you remember any of those stories?” </p><p> “I suppose I could be persuaded to tell one, or something similar.” </p><p> “I’ll save my limericks for another day then,” Desi said. </p><p> “I think that’s for the best.” Russ fussed with the blanket covering him and edged back slightly to lean further into Desi and Mac so they shared his warmth.  “Once upon a time,” he announced. </p><p> “I like the beginning,” Bozer said. “It’s traditional yet not clichéd.” </p><p> “Thank you.” Russ ducked his head. </p><p> “So does this make you like the grandpa in The Princess Bride?” Bozer asked. </p><p> “Does this make you the kid who keeps interrupting him?” </p><p> “I think it does.” </p><p> “May I continue?” </p><p> “As you wish.” </p><p> “A long time ago,” Russ continued, “in a land far, far away there was a kingdom called Phoenix.  Phoenix was ruled over by two wise and benevolent leaders, King Russell and Queen Mathilda.” </p><p> “So you and Matty are married in this story?” Mac asked. He’d pulled the blanket up to his chin and he raised his eyebrows at Russ above the silver foil. </p><p> “What?” Russ’ voice rose in both tone and pitch. “No, why would you say that?” </p><p> “Because you’re the king and queen.  Aren’t you a married couple?” </p><p> “No, no, no, no, no.” Russ shook his head. “There’s been an agreement, like a union between kingdoms. A completely platonic union. Nobody is married.” </p><p> “Okay.” Mac smirked weakly. </p><p> “So, the King and Queen ruled the country platonically and with wisdom, grace, generosity, righteousness, benevolence...” </p><p> “Modesty.” Desi interrupted. </p><p> “That too,” Russ said.  “One day a messenger from a neighbouring kingdom came to the castle pleading for an audience with the King and Queen.  The messenger said that a war lord had invaded their land and was pillaging towns and terrorising people.  An army had been sent to fight him but he had a terrible weapon that the soldiers couldn’t match and they had been forced to flee.” </p><p> “What’s the terrible weapon?” Riley asked. </p><p> “Wait and see.” Russ winked. “The messenger begged the King and Queen to help and being such wise and generous rulers they agreed to send a band of their best people to defeat the War Lord.” </p><p> “Ahhhhh,” Desi sing-songed, “I think I know where this is going.” </p><p> “The King and Queen gathered together a team of their finest citizens to send to the neighbouring land and help it’s people.  And making up this merry band were,” Russ paused for dramatic emphasis.  He knew he was building his part like an old ham but the time until exfil arrived had to be filled somehow and he’d always enjoyed spinning a yarn.  He liked to think he got that from his granny. That and his ability to judge characters well and a love of overly sweetened tea.  “Mac, the blacksmith and alchemist,” Russ continued, “Riley the archer, Sir Desi the knight and Bozer the Man at Arms.” </p><p> “Man at Arms?” Bozer protested. “I remember the Man at Arms character from the He-Man cartoons - he wore furry underpants and not much else.  How come everyone else is something cool like an archer or a knight and I’m wearing furry briefs?” </p><p> “A man at arms was a solider in medieval times.  They had a vast knowledge of weaponry and were knights and noblemen,” Russ explained. “Furry Y fronts were not required.” </p><p>Bozer harrumphed. </p><p> “Desi is a ‘sir’,” Riley said. “Can she be a ‘sir’ since she’s a she?” </p><p> “Sir is a title that’s isn’t tied to gender in the land of Phoenix.  Phoenix is a magical land of enchantments, kings, queens, knights, chivalry and there’s no such thing as restrictive gender roles or the patriarchy.” Russ shook his head. “Could we focus less on the details and more on the narrative please? I’m trying to tell a story here.” </p><p> “We’re listening,” Mac mumbled, he’d sunk down against the wall behind him, leaning his weight against Bozer’s shoulder. </p><p> “Okay, so,” Russ said, “Our merry band of heroes left Phoenix and set off to the land being terrorised by the War Lord.” </p><p> “Does the War Lord have a name?” Bozer asked, “It will help me with the mental picture I’m building.” </p><p>Russ sighed, “He’s known as Calder the Merciless.” </p><p> “Is he big with a bushy beard, huge shoulders and a permanent scowl?” </p><p> “Yes,” Russ answered. “And he has a scar right across one eye and an unstable relationship with dental hygiene. Does that help?” </p><p> “Thank you, yes.” </p><p> “Good.  Our heroes travelled to the neighbouring land,” Russ said when Bozer nodded. “The journey took them over The Bridge of Sighs and through the Valley of Whispers.  They watched shooting stars with the Fire Eaters of the Southern Edge who told them that if they met the Silver Wolf they should look her in the eye and tell her truth and they passed the abandoned village of the weavers, leaving wine for the old ghosts and singing for the new ones.” </p><p>The team had settled against each other under the blankets covering them for warmth and comfort.   The snow continued to fall, thick, silent and inexorable, burying them in their safe huddle.  Mac was pale and quiet but not enough to cause concern.  He retreated into his head when he was in pain but Russ could tell that he was listening to the story and hadn’t withdrawn into a place where it was hard for his friends to reach him. </p><p> “Then one day the travellers reached a path that was guarded by a man dressed in battle scarred armour, “ Russ said, “He was stood in the middle of the pathway and when he saw the team approaching him he pulled out his sword, resting it’s sharp point on the ground in readiness.” </p><p> “This sounds like it could be trouble,” Riley said. </p><p> “‘We wish to pass, kind sir.’ Mac the Blacksmith called but The Guard just shook his head, the determined glint in his eyes just visible through the slit in his helmet.” </p><p> “‘Kind sir?’” Mac asked, wrinkling his nose. “Why does Mac the Blacksmith talk like someone from Shakespeare in the Park?”  
</p><p> “Does mother know you weareth her drapes?” Bozer quoted. </p><p> “Everyone talks like that in Phoenix and the lands around it, it’s a medieval thing,” Russ said. </p><p> “As long as he doesn’t say ‘forsooth’” </p><p> “I wasn’t going to have him say that but I might now.” </p><p>“Can we get on with the story?” Riley urged, “I want to know what’s happening with this Guard guy.” </p><p> “I’d love to,” Russ said, shuffling to get more comfortable on the hard floor. “So Mac the Blacksmith has asked to pass The Guard right?  And The Guard says ‘No, stranger, you cannot.’” </p><p> “Rude,” Desi said. </p><p> “So Mac the Blacksmith says, ‘We have a task to complete that requires us to take that road behind you, sir. What do we need to do to allow us to pass you?’ And The Guard says, ‘I have been cursed to stand in this very spot and answer three questions of travellers who wish to take that path before I fight them, defeating me will allow you to pass but I am as quick with my sword as anyone born.  And that’s one.’  </p><p> ‘One of what?’ Bozer at Arms asked. </p><p> ‘One questions, and now that’s two,’ The Guard replied. </p><p> ‘How can we help you break the curse?’ Sir Desi asked. </p><p> ‘You just have.’ The Guard put his sword in it’s scabbard and pulled off his helmet revealing the face of an old man with lined skin and long white hair. ‘I’ve been stood in this very spot for nigh on fifty years waiting for someone to show me compassion and ask the right question to free me,’ he said,  ‘Thank you, sir!  </p><p>The Guard stepped forward, ‘Pass and go with my blessing’ he said as he shook each of the team by the hand, ‘and I give you a piece of my best advice: your enemy can become your friend, look with kind eyes.’ And he turned and walked away into the trees without looking back.” </p><p> “Poor guy,” Desi said, “Fifty years stood watching the same spot. That’s a worse assignment than guarding dignitaries.” </p><p> “He’s heading to the nearest tavern for a hot meal, a flagon of their best ale and a good sit down,” Russ said, “He’ll be fine. Anyway, now that The Guard had gone the road ahead was clear and the travellers walked on.  They found themselves on a shadowy path strewn with stones covered in strange markings that looked like faces twisting in anguish.  The road was long and the Phoenix team hadn’t reached the end of it when night fell so they made camp in a clearing within a circle of twisted trees. The light of the full moon above them was lost in clouds but something somewhere still called to it.  A low, deep howl echoed around them and up to the stars.  The travellers built the fire in their camp up high and took turns on watch, each of them staring hard into the darkness around them sure there were malevolent forces creeping outside the ring of light cast by their fire’s flames.” </p><p>Russ moved his hand under the blanket to rest his fingers on Mac’s wrist and take his pulse.  Mac’s heartbeat was thready but strong and when Russ shifted the foil covering Mac to peek at his injured leg he saw that the bandage was still firmly in place, it was soaked red but seemed to be controlling the bleeding. </p><p>Mac gave Russ a brittle smile when he realised what he was doing. “M’okay,” he mumbled. </p><p> “Of course you are.  We haven’t finished the quest, Calder the Merciless hasn’t been stopped yet, we can’t have anyone tapping out.”  Mac needed medical attention and soon but Russ could tell that his condition hadn’t deteriorated, and there was no reason to think that he would. They just needed to hang on for a little bit longer and exfil would find them and take them home. </p><p> “So what happens next? What do the travellers from Phoenix do when the sun comes up?” Mac asked. </p><p> “Good questions,” Russ said. “So when the sun rose the next day no one from Phoenix could remember ever being happier to see it.   The branches of the trees they had camped under looked a lot less like fangs with the sunlight streaming through them and they could see the end of their road in the distance.  A morning of brisk walking brought them to the gap between two hills where a castle made of dark, heavy stone loomed. </p><p> “Calder the Merciless’ house?” Bozer asked. </p><p> “If by house you mean impenetrable fortress then yes,” Russ said. </p><p> “I had a feeling that guy wouldn’t live in a cute little bungalow.” </p><p> “That’s his retirement plan,” Russ said, “A bungalow by the sea with a porch swing and a vegetable garden.” </p><p> “But if the fortress is impenetrable then how are the team going to get in?” Desi asked, she’d been a little tense behind Russ at first but had soon relaxed.  The whole team had quickly become a pile of limbs and care, nestled together on the floor of the greenhouse for support and to keep out the cold.   Russ’s granny would have laughed if she could see him.  She’d always told him, ‘don’t worry too much about that posh stuff your mother wants you to know about, love, you just listen to me and you’ll learn what you need’. After everything he’d seen, done and strived for Russ’ life had taken him to a place where he was tucked under a blanket with the people who were some of the closest to him sharing a story. He marvelled at the irony of it all for an indulgent moment before continuing. </p><p> “Well, the travellers from Phoenix were wondering that themselves when a wolf stepped over the brow of one of the hills and trotted towards them.  She was huge with silver fur, sharp claws and bright eyes full of intelligence.  The team remembered the words of the Fire Eaters and met her gaze steadily. </p><p> ‘Welcome travellers, it has been many year since anyone has dared take this road.  What brings you here?’ the Silver Wolf said. </p><p> ‘Someone requested our aid,’ Mac the Blacksmith replied. </p><p> ‘And how do you plan to meet that request?’ </p><p> ‘We will know that when we reach our destination,’ Bozer at Arms said. </p><p> ‘So you’ve arrived here with no plan?’ the Silver Wolf asked. </p><p> ‘It’s what we do,’ Riley the Archer told her.” </p><p> “She’s not wrong,” real life Riley said. “I’m glad the story has a wolf in, wolves are cool.” </p><p> “We’ve only just got started,” Russ said, a giddy bubble of excitement growing in his chest at the thought of what was going to happen next.  </p><p> “The Silver Wolf thought about this for a moment. ‘Are you going to kill Calder the Merciless?’ she eventually asked. </p><p> ‘We’re here to stop him,’ Mac the Blacksmith said. ‘Murder isn’t our intention.’ </p><p> ‘You say that yet you carry weapons,’ The Silver Wolf said. </p><p> ‘We bear arms but that does not mean we will use them to kill,’ Mac the Blacksmith said, ‘There’s always another way.’ </p><p>The Silver Wolf regarded the travellers silently.  If she decided to attack them they didn’t know if they could defeat her but they found themselves trusting the wisdom in her face. </p><p> ‘Go,’ the Silver Wolf said, nodding her head towards the fortress, ‘fulfil your task.  And remember, the smallest thing can bring the greatest reward.’ </p><p>The team walked past the Silver Wolf and when they looked back over their shoulders at the way they had come they found that she was gone.” </p><p> “There are a lot of people giving very enigmatic advice in this story,” Bozer said. He’d tipped his head back in contemplation and was regarding the dark sky above them. “It seems to me that it would be helpful if someone could just say, ‘go straight ahead for six blocks then turn left and you’ll see the Keys for Opening the Doors of Impenetrable Castles store.” </p><p> “That’s true, Boze,” Mac breathed, amusement under the fatigue in his voice, “but it wouldn’t make as good a story.” </p><p> “I don’t disagree,” Bozer said, “but sometimes a person enjoys a straight answer, you know what I mean?” </p><p>Mac gave a low hum. “Yeah I do. Simple has it’s advantages.” </p><p> “Fairy tales are pretty simple,” Riley said, “The good guys are good, the bad guys are bad and it’s easy to tell the difference between the two.  That’s why we like them.” </p><p> “And they have magic and unicorns and rainbows with gold at the end in them,” Desi said, “Everyone likes unicorns.” </p><p>The team all nodded in agreement.  </p><p> “As the travellers from Phoenix grew closer to the fortress they could see how heavily armed it was,” Russ continuted, “Flaming torches circled the high spiked walls, heavily armed guards stood menacingly in front of the heavy castle door and fires bubbled under huge vats of boiling oil on the high ramparts.  The travellers snuck around the fortress, studying it carefully for weaknesses and despairing that they’d never be able to steal inside.  </p><p>Finally Sir Desi spotted a small wooden door built into the bottom of the castle wall.  The mechanism to raise and lower it was hidden behind a metal grate set high up on the wall.  Riley the Archer looked at the tiny gaps in the grate, studying them with her keen eye. </p><p> ‘The smallest thing can bring a great reward,’ she said, then took one of her arrows and held it into the flames of a nearby torch until it started to burn then nocked it and fired.  The arrow sailed through the grate and with a thud and a smell of burning the door swung loose.  One by one, with baited breaths, the team file into Calder the Merciless’ stronghold.” </p><p> “Hang on.” Bozer held up a hand, “Has Riley the Archer kind of just fired a proton torpedo into an exhaust port?” </p><p> “It’s just like Beggar’s Canyon back home.” Riley grinned</p><p> “The force is strong with Riley the Archer,” Mac said. </p><p>Bozer adopted his best Obi Wan Kenobi impression, “That’s no impenetrable fortress – it’s a space station!” </p><p> “Some fairy tales have magic, unicorns and rainbows and some have Jedi Knights, lightsabers and jumps to light speed,” Russ shrugged. </p><p> “As long as everyone has two hands at the end of the story I’m fine with it.” Desi fixed Russ with a stern look, “And no Jar Jar Binks.” </p><p> “Please, what do you take me for?” Russ met Desi’s determined glare with one of his own, “Of course there’ll be no Jar Jar Binks!” He shuddered. “Anyway, where were we?” </p><p> “Sneaking into the fortress,” Riley supplied helpfully. </p><p> “Right.  Good. So,” Russ said. “The team from Phoenix crept through the dim, dank corridor into the fortress ignoring the rats scurrying around their feet and the drips of water landing on their heads.  A light glowed ahead of them, flickering in the gloom, and the team carried on towards it until they reached a chamber as wide as a meadow and as tall as an old oak.  In the middle of the room, held in place by heavy chains, stood a dragon.” </p><p> “They’re not going to slay the dragon are they?” The stern look was back on Desi’s face, “Because Sir Desi will not be taking part in any of that.” </p><p> “Don’t worry, no dragons will be harmed in the making of this story,” Russ told her. </p><p>“So the dragon is the terrible weapon?” Bozer said.</p><p> “If they’re not going to slay it how will the team defeat the bad guy?” Mac asked. </p><p> “Just steady on, I’m getting to that,” Russ said.  He prevaricated for a moment just because he could.  He readjusted the blankets and looked out at the garden until the eyes of the team, all heavy with fatigue and spent adrenaline, turned to him, keen despite their tiredness. </p><p> “Is that the terrible weapon?’ Bozer at Arms said as the dragon growled in their direction.  It pawed the ground with it’s huge feet while smoke streamed from it’s nostrils. ‘How can we defeat it?’ </p><p> ‘Our enemy will become our friend if we look with kind eyes,’ Mac the Blacksmith said, ‘that’s what The Guard told us.  Maybe we should look with kindness. </p><p>The dragon was the colour of burnished gold with deep red scales covering it’s wings.  It’s feet and tail had been bound with heavy chains and, now that the team were taking the time to look, they noticed the dragon’s bonds had rubbed sores into it’s flesh.  It couldn’t extend it’s wings fully in the chamber and it’s eyes looked clouded and pained. </p><p> ‘That poor creature is in need of kindness,’ Sir Desi said, ‘The kindest thing to do would be to release it from it’s chains.’ </p><p>Mac the Blacksmith inched forward until he got to the ring on the wall that held the dragon’s bonds.  He pulled a tool from his belt and picked the lock. With a simple click the dragon’s manacles fell to the floor.” </p><p> “It’s all going to start getting real now,” Bozer said. </p><p> “Indeed,” Russ said. “Free to manoeuver the dragon let out a terrible roar and hooked it’s long claws through the iron bonds around it’s ankles and rip them to pieces. Then it destroyed the chain holding it’s tail, took a deep breath and blasted the wall to the chamber with flames until it glowed red.  The dragon flicked a look over it’s shoulder at the travellers from Phoenix then turned and ran head first into the burning stones and burst through.  </p><p>The Phoenix team followed the dragon as it rampaged through the castle, destroying walls and sweeping soldiers aside as it went.  Some of the bravest - or most foolish – soldiers rushed over and tried to fight the dragon but most of them fled.  The travellers heard a shout of fury and saw Calder the Merciless standing in front of the dragon brandishing the biggest axe any of them had ever seen.  He and the dragon circled each other, flames churning in the dragon’s mouth, the War Lord gripping his weapon with barely restrained rage.  The War Lord let out a battle cry and charged the dragon who picked him up in it’s teeth, crunched down once and devoured it’s captor.  Calder the Merciless was gone.” </p><p> “Death by dragon,” Riley said, “that seems fair.” </p><p> “So the travellers from Phoenix saved the day with a lot of help from a dragon?” Mac huffed out a gentle laugh, “I bet explaining that to Queen Matty was interesting.” </p><p> “What happened to the dragon?” Desi asked. </p><p> “After it swallowed Calder the Merciless the dragon looked around it, let out one last roar then took to the sky and was last seen disappearing into the horizon,” Russ said. “Don’t worry about it, it found a nice cave to live in where there were more than enough sheep to eat and it gathered a big pile of gold to hoard.   Calder the Merciless’ army was scattered and broken and his fortress crumbled to the ground. Stone from the walls were gathered by local people to make new houses and vines grew over the burnt husk of the building and it became a place where birds would nest in safety.  And the travellers from Phoenix went home,” Russ said into the quiet of the little building the real Phoenix team had taken sanctuary in, “having more adventures on the way, and arrived back where they had started from to a great feast and much revelling.   The King and Queen decided that since the team had done so well against The War Lord they should form a band that fought for justice and decency wherever they were threatened. The end. ” </p><p>When he’d bought the Phoenix Russ had done so with good intentions.  Some of his intentions had been personally motivated, selfish even, but he was sure they’d been good and he’d hoped that could cleanse him of some of the taint his old life and past decisions had left him with.  He wouldn’t say he was seeking redemption, he wasn’t sure he believed in it. Some spots of blood couldn’t be washed from guilty hands, some shouldn’t.  But he hoped that maybe by being a force behind the light, by helping kind hands reach out, he could offset some of his darkness.  He’d never expected that being the force behind the light would involve him being part of a puppy pile of agents on a snowy evening telling a fairy story until exfil came. </p><p>Russ quickly flicked an assessing eye over Mac and decided he was okay.  Small spasms of pain tightened the lines around Mac’s mouth from time to time but he was stable and should quickly make a full recovery.  The team were together and were safe, Russ felt happy to claim a win. </p><p> “That was a good story,” Desi said. “Was it one of your granny’s?” </p><p> “Thank you.  I took bits and pieces from all the stories my granny used to tell me,” Russ told her. “There used to be witches and wizards in her stories too but there wasn’t really room for any in that particular tale.” </p><p> “Maybe you could put them in a story next time.” Bozer said. </p><p>“Yeah,” Mac drawled, “As long as next time happens when we’re sitting around a fire where there’s beer, indoor plumbing nearby and I don’t have a makeshift bandage holding my leg together.”</p><p>There was a flash of a torch outside the greenhouse followed by the unmistakable sound of boots crunching in snow.  Riley checked her phone. </p><p> “That should be exfil.” </p><p>The greenhouse door opened and a man in full tac gear peered in.  “Mr Taylor?” The agent said, “I understand you need a medi-evac.” </p><p> “Yes, please, as quick as you can.” </p><p>The head vanished and called to someone in the distance.  The team shifted, shuffling out from the rumpled pile of cosy warmth they’d sunk into. </p><p> “You forgot something,” Mac said, wincing as he pulled himself to sit up. </p><p> “I did?” Russ asked. “What?” </p><p> “The travellers, the band of merry people from Phoenix, did they get a happy ending?” </p><p> “Of course,” Russ said, “what kind of fairy story would it be if they didn’t. But I’ll say it anyway to round the whole thing up nicely: And they all lived happily ever after.” </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Massive thank you to the song Once Upon Another Time by Sara Barellies and packet cappuccinos without whom this story might not have been finished (pro tip – if you stir packet cappuccinos with a fork you can usually avoid those nasty clumps of undissolved powder). </p><p>I also owe a big debt of thanks to Neil Gaiman for his book Instructions which is an utterly beautiful children’s stories and was a big inspiration. </p><p>Bozer's "Does mother know you weareth her drapes?" is from Avengers Assemble and I've sprinkled references to Star Wars and The Princess Bride throughout.  I tend to think that if you can quote Star Wars or The Princess Bride, you should quote Star Wars or the Princess Bride.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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